Science Fiction Newsletter - Aug 2010

August 1, 2010

Editor: EarlyHours-A Vigilante Ranger




1. About this Newsletter
2. Letter from the Editor
3. Special Feature
4. Editor's Picks
5. Ask & Answer

Why A Science Fiction Newsletter?

There is no doubt that science fiction (SF) has a strong following here on WDC. I actually checked into this, and every single static item type on WDC is represented by SF. As are interactives, campfires, crosswords, word-searches, and even c-Notes. The other Newsletters (especially Fantasy) do a great job highlighting SF items that fall within their specific genres. There is some crossover, and the basics of creative writing are shared by all genres. The goal of this Newsletter is to focus on aspects of the craft that pertain especially, if not exclusively, to science fiction writers. We weave science, technology, extrapolation, and speculation into our plots, our stories, and our messages, without losing sight of their effect on individuals and humanity. Doing this well is a tall order, and sometimes it requires a tall tale. But I’m ready to take on the challenge, and I hope you are too.

The definition of science fiction is like the definition of pornography: you don't know what it is, but you know it when you see it. Mark C. Glassy

Science Fiction versus Sci-Fi

A recent email from Shaara got me thinking about a long-standing controversy in the terminology of this genre. So I thought that, since this was the first issue of the USFNL, terminology was fair game for an editorial.

The debate about how to use the terms, “Science Fiction,” “SF” and “Sci-Fi” goes back a long way. Apparently, to the hard core aficionados, Science Fiction involves real science, and Sci-Fi involves spaceships, time travel, monsters, and robots with ray guns, the trappings of the genre without the scientific substance. The debate has included commentary by some of the most revered writers in the genre. Ben Bova defined science fiction as those stories in which some aspect of future science or high technology is so integral to the story that, if you take away the science or technology, the story collapses. And he reserves the term Sci-Fi for TV shows and movies that claim to be based on science but are really based on comic strips, or worse. And Harlan Ellison described Sci-Fi as dumbed down science fiction, so the mass audiences could understand it.

The definitions are endless. Some simply define science fiction as fiction that contains some science in it. By this definition, does that make the TV show, CSI, Science Fiction? How about Gray’s Anatomy? One could argue that they aren’t science fiction because they don’t speculate about alternate or future science and its effect on society. Then what about Frankenstein? Most of us would agree that the book is classic Science Fiction, but the story took place in the 1800’s, not the future. And Twilight Zone had a lot of good Science Fiction, even some with robots and ray guns. It follows that it’s just not that easy to pin down a good definition.

Maybe we should define science fiction or Sci-Fi based on whether it helps the advancement of science and society, or impedes it. For example, Terminator can’t be good for the field of robotics, or Artificial Intelligence in general for that matter. So it must be merely Sci-Fi, right? On the other hand, Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age shows us that a girl who is raised by a sentient electronic book, can grow up to become a brilliant and wise leader. Definitely science fiction.

Personally, I just want my science fiction to be based on real science (as we know it), and extrapolate that science into the plot of the story. I am happy to use the terms interchangeably. So if the protagonist resolves a conflict using science, to me it's science fiction, SF or Sci-Fi. If he or she resolves it with magic, it's Fantasy. Especially in this futuristic world of texting, email, instant messaging and Brief Descriptions that may not be longer than 90 characters, I think the six characters of Sci-Fi, or the two of SF work pretty well. And for me, they fit nicely in the the literary world of the future.

What do you think?

Alien Worlds

The Special Features section of this Newsletter will be focused on specific aspects of the craft of writing science fiction. Possible topics in upcoming Newsletters could include Aliens and Alien Societies, Space Travel, Space Operas, Sci-Fi Technology, Time Travel, Fan Sci-Fi, etc. Please let me know if you have interest or special knowledge in a topic that might make a good subject for this section. For this issue, I wanted to touch on an aspect of science fiction that I always found fascinating: worlds and world-building.

Like many aspects of science fiction, the use of real science to create our alien worlds adds to the sense of wonder that we’re trying to create. The reader wants to experience a sense of total immersion, and if the science falls short, so does the believability. Science fiction readers can be quite critical when it comes to the accuracy of the science. In order to suspend disbelief, he or she must get the feeling that the other worldliness of an alien setting really could be.

When a story is set on Earth, the reader already knows that the sky is blue and that the air is breathable. He or she knows what the gravity feels like, and that what goes up must come down. On another planet, or even on our own Moon, things might not be the same, and so it’s up to the writer to describe the important features of our “other” worlds, or address what makes them different from what we know as humans. The writer has to set the ground rules, and be consistent in their application. Believability comes from consistency. For example, our protagonist can’t walk outside and breathe normally on a planet with a methane atmosphere. That may be an obvious example, but the idea also applies to much subtler facets of our stories. In our universe, common elements occur in abundance, like Hydrogen, Helium, Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen. Heavy elements are rare throughout the universe in comparison to the common ones, so even though a planet could possibly be made of pure gold, it would be exceedingly unlikely. Other characteristics of a planet have profound effects on what the world is like. The planet’s mass, the distance from its sun, the presence or absence of axial tilt, and the shape of its orbit determine everything from gravity, to weather, to seasons. As with our characters, a sort-of bio can be constructed for our planets. Knowing your planet, like knowing your characters, brings believability to the setting. Accuracy is not an easy task when you’re writing for science fiction readers!

We have all read stories that take place on other worlds. Sometimes, it seems that the author set the story somewhere else just to give the story a science fiction feel. All too often, the story could just as well take place on earth, because features of the planet aren’t described, or the significance of the planet setting isn’t made clear. When the other world is well explained, and is a critical part of the story itself, the setting becomes much more interesting. I always enjoy reading about planets that have features not encountered on Earth, like purple skies, mushrooms the size of trees, light gravity days (great for building huge structures), oceans of sulfuric acid and more. I can’t get enough of these things!

Even with all this special attention to alien details, we can’t make the setting the whole story. Like with other genres, we still need believable characters, conflict, and plot. But the science fiction writer can’t always take setting for granted when writing stories set on other planets or moons. Having to explain alien settings to our readers is one aspect of our craft that is specific to science fiction. This month’s Editor’s Picks highlights items that take place on the Moon or non-Earth planets. Let’s see how WDC’s science fiction writers approach the challenge of world-building. I hope you enjoy the selections.

ID: 883385   (Rated: ASR) The Alien Amusement Park  When I got lost in Keffff’s Extreme Animals Amusement Park . . . by Shaara

ID: 1692832   (Rated: 13+) An Unexpected Detour  A doctor lands on an uncharted planet boasting what man has supressed for generations. by Lindsay Hull

ID: 1613958   (Rated: E) A Matter of Taste  Man isn't at the top of the food chain on every planet. by Old Bike

ID: 1649294   (Rated: ASR) The Guardian  When does a planet become "home?" A Daily Flash Fiction Entry by HuntersMoon - Gone4Awhile

ID: 1499836   (Rated: 13+) Onward  If civilization is to continue to evolve, Mankind must move ever onward. by Futrboy

ID: 1659441   (Rated: E) A New Home  A man leads a group of refugees to colonize a distant planet, Gorolia, set in the future. by Rhyme and reason

ID: 1675256   (Rated: 13+) Terran Catalyst  In the future there's a nightmare & a spacer takes a desperate gamble. Opening chapters. by Mage

Now for some poetry that's "Out of this World."

ID: 799985   (Rated: E) A Crazy, Mixed Up Solar System of Hunger  A hungry child romps humorously through the Solar System. by Shaara

ID: 1643344   (Rated: E) White Star  A star and her planets by Jerboy2010

ID: 1639425   (Rated: E) Daily Haiku 25jan10  The moon is a cold place to look at the planet Earth... by peach

In future Science Fiction Newsletters, this feature will include reader feedback and comments. So don't be shy! Write in and let the Editor(s) know what you think, and what you'd like to see in upcoming Newsletters! Feedback can be sent to EarlyHours-A Vigilante Ranger .

If you like Science Fiction, don't forget to check out:

ID: 1617315   (Rated: 18+) The Sci-fi Writers Guild  Collaborations, discussions and reviews - Welcome to the Sci-fi Writers Guild by EvilDawg - A Vigilante Ranger!

Thanks for reading, and see you next month!